Introduction to Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance Art

Classical Period Medieval Period Renaissance

500 BC AD 500 AD 1400 AD 1650

Classical Period Medieval Period Renaissance

The Classical Period covered the height of the The Medieval Period in Europe, which lasted The Renaissance included a rebirth of interest Greek culture and the Roman Empire, from its roughly from AD 500 to AD 1400, was in Classical culture. It began around 1400 and rise to its fall, about 500 BC to AD 500. The characterized by the rise of feudalism and the lasted until 1650. People rediscovered the people of these ancient societies developed controlling power of the Catholic Church in writings and artworks of the Greeks and many of the ideas that, today, make up our people’s lives. Romans, borrowed their ancient ideas, and mathematics, science, literature, and art. combined them in new ways.

Forms of Art: sculpture, painted pottery, Forms of Art: stained-glass windows, Forms of Art: sculptures, murals, drawings, murals, mosaics sculptures, illuminated manuscripts, paintings, paintings tapestries Purposes: to show the importance of people Purposes: to show the importance of people and leaders, as well as gods and goddesses Purposes: to teach religion to people who and nature, not just religion cannot read or write Characteristics of Classical Art Characteristics of Renaissance Art . figures look idealized, perfect Characteristics of Medieval Art . both religious and nonreligious scenes . bodies look active, move convincingly . subjects mostly religious . figures look idealized, perfect . bodies are often nude, sometimes . figures look flat and stiff with little real . bodies may look active, moving draped in togas movement . bodies may be nude or clothed . faces are bland and clam, without . important figures are large . real people doing real tasks of daily life emotion . fully clothes, draped in deeply carved, . faces express what people are thinking . scenes show heroic figures or real still-looking clothes . colors respond to the light that falls on people doing real tasks of daily life . faces are solemn with little emotion them . little background or sense of . paintings use vibrant colors . interest in nature, lots of natural detail perspective (when distant objects look . flat, two-dimensional painted figures . paintings are symmetrical (balanced on smaller and far away) . backgrounds a single color, often gold, both sides) no interest in creating a realistic space